Saraki reiterates commitment to transform road transport sector

Minister of State for Transportation, Sen. Gbemisola Saraki, has reiterated her commitment to transformation of the road sub-sector through partnership with stakeholders.

Saraki said this when a delegation of the National Freight Hauliers Association (NFHA) visited her on Tuesday in Abuja.

The Minister, represented by the Director of Road Transport and Mass Transit Administration, Mrs. Esther Ehigie, said through partnership with relevant stakeholders, the sector would move forward.

“The Ministry and the Minister is very concerned about the state of road transportation in this country and we are trying to do something about it.

“But definitely we cannot do it alone, so the ministry, in partnership with other operators in the field, is going to make sure the sector is transformed.

“Every sector in the road transportation is being looked at because we want to be able to compete globally.

“And that means, we must do things right and maintain standards to ensure that Nigeria is where it is supposed to be,” she said.

Earlier, Mr. Jackson Bent, National President of NHFA, urged the Federal Government to fish out miscreants who run illegal transport unions to defraud unsuspecting transporters and motorists.

Bent, decried that the activities of the miscreants had led to multiple taxation in the transport sector as well as hike in commuter fare and prices of goods.

He said the association believed that efforts to ensure freight haulage was professionalised, stakeholders are disciplined, united and patriotic would be achieved with the ministry’s support.

He urged the Ministry to collaborate with Ministry of Labour and Productivity and Registrar General of CAC to guide against mushroom bodies coming up as lorry unions, pickup unions, and the likes, having to do with freight haulage.

“This is necessary because such unit’s registration will not help to achieve model success in the industry.

“And it will not help the expected haulage transportation growth of the economy, it will only lead to hike in prices to the end users,” he added. (NAN)

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